Preview: Pirates at Marlins

July 28, 2013|Reuters

Gerrit Cole went first overall to the Pittsburgh Pirates, while the Miami Marlins chose Jose Fernandez 14th the 2011 first-year player draft. Just over two years later, the hard-throwing pitchers meet for the first time Sunday as the Pirates visit the Marlins in the rubber match of their three-game series. The 22-year-old Cole won his first four major-league starts but is 1-3 since; Fernandez, who turns 21 on July 31, has won four of his last six decisions.

Pittsburgh climbed within 1 1/2 games of the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central after collecting 14 hits in a 7-4 victory over the Marlins on Saturday. Neil Walker broke out of a 2-for-22 slump with three hits and leadoff hitter Starling Marte matched his total over his previous seven games with two. Miami slugger Giancarlo Stanton continues to warm up, going 7-for-10 with three walks the last three contests.

Cole received only eight runs of support in his last four outings, but he kept the Pirates in every game by giving up a total of nine. The product of UCLA has not yielded more than three runs in any of his appearances, striking out 29 and walking 10 over 48 2/3 innings. Cole, who has registered 100 miles per hour on the radar gun, has allowed 47 hits â including only three home runs.

Fernandez picked up right where he left off before the All-Star break by limiting Colorado to two runs and five hits over seven innings in a victory on Tuesday. The youngster yielded three or fewer runs in each of his last nine starts, with the Marlins winning seven of those. Fernandez has 111 strikeouts and 42 walks in 111 2/3 innings while surrendering eight home runs.

WALK-OFFS

1. Marlins RHP A.J. Ramos has not allowed an earned run over his last 15 outings, striking out 25 in 18 2/3 innings.

2. Marte stole his 30th base in Fridayâs 2-0 loss, joining Andrew McCutchen (33 in 2010) as only the second Pirate since 1999 to accomplish the feat.

3. Miami OF Justin Ruggiano has gone without a hit in 32 at-bats, one shy of the longest hitless streak in franchise history by Mike Jacobs in 2007.